Raptors complete coaching staff

New Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey has completed the bulk of his coaching staff, with former Raptors assistant and 76ers and Magic head coach Johnny Davis agreeing to join his staff as lead assistant coach.

Davis coached Allen Iverson in his rookie season in Philadelphia, but was fired after one season. He spent parts of two seasons as Orlandoís head coach, and was interim head coach in Memphis after Marc Iavaroni was fired two years ago, before the Grizzlies named Lionel Hollins head coach. Davis, a former teammate of Hollinsí on Portlandís world championship team in 1976, remained on Hollinsís staff.

Davis will join assistant Scott Roth, who had interviewed for an assistantís job with the Lakers under new head coach Mike Brown, but will remain in Toronto. Roth had been at Golden State, Memphis and Dallas before joining the Raptors in 2009, and also has extensive international coaching experience. Assistants Eric Hughes and Micah Nori will also remain as holdovers from Jay TrianoĎs staff. Triano was fired at the beginning of the month and Casey was officially hired to replace him last week.

Toronto is also hiring longtime assistant coach and scout Tom Sterner to the staff. Sterner was with the 76ers last season and has been with the Warriors, Magic and Mavericks in almost three decades as an NBA coach.

I am happy w/ these moves. Davis spent time with Memphis through some tough years. The Griz were experiencing life after Pau and were focusing on a youth movement that focused on defensive teamwork and offensive free-flow. Sounds like the current Raps. If he can bring the offensive system of Memphis and Casey can work the defense into shape, we have the makings of a very strong coaching staff. Roth and Nori were both mentioned for other jobs, but returned to offer a degree of familiarity for the team. Sterner carries a very strong rep. This looks like a group that will work well together.

Casey Hires Assistants

New Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey has completed the bulk of his coaching staff, with former Raptors assistant and 76ers and Magic head coach Johnny Davis agreeing to join his staff as lead assistant coach.

As I reported first last week, Scott Roth will be back with the club - one of three holdovers from Jay Triano’s crew. Roth turned down the Los Angeles Lakers’ offer of joining Mike Brown’s staff in lieu of staying on with Casey and the Raptors.

Roth came to T.O. last season following stints in Golden State, Memphis and Dallas.

There was speculation last week that Triano assistants Micah Nori and Eric Hughes may be kept around by Casey as well — given that the two were in attendance at Casey’s introductory press conference — but neither would confirm or deny their contract status to me. However, David Aldridge (NBA.com / TNT) is reporting that both men will stay in Toronto with Casey.

Nori is one of the longest-serving members of the Raptors organization (13 years) and he has recently held of the post of Director of NBA Scouting in addition to his coaching and advance scouting duties.

Hughes came to Toronto in 2007-08 as a basketball development consultant and was promoted to the post of assistant coach / basketball development in the summer of 2009. The former NCAA head coach is primarily responsible for working with the younger players; arriving 3-4 hours before game-time on most days for guys to get in extra work.

Aldridge is reporting that Johnny Davis will be joining Casey’s staff as his lead assistant and Tom Sterner will come aboard in Toronto as well.

Davis played 10 years in the NBA - winning a championship with Portland in 1977. Davis has been a head coach in the Association on 4 separate occasions: during Allen Iverson’s rookie season in Philly, in two difference stints in Orlando, and as an interim head coach in Memphis … when he replaced Marc Iavaroni. This fall will mark Davis’ 35th season in the NBA as a player, coach, or front office executive.

It’s not yet known if Alex English will catch-on with another club.

PJ Carlesimo - in spite of the one year he had remaining on his contract - will not be back with the Raptors.

Though many believe(d) otherwise, Alvin Williams was technically not on Triano’s staff last season. He did do some pre-game work with the guards, but he was not on the bench during the games. Williams was and is, officially, the Raptors Director of Player Development. He has told me on numerous occasions that his NBA aspirations are in the front office and not as a coach.

I'm wondering why Alex is not returning when the Raps have been such a good offensive team? Personailities perhaps?

To be honest I dont know what AE brought to the table other than working with the bigs. Amir is the only one I have heard got to get noticeably better because of him and I dont know that he was involved in in-game xes and ohs. The new hirees may well have made him redundant. I would have actually preferred a cleanout of everyone and start fresh but Roth has only been here a year and Micah I understand has had a relationship with Casey.

The specter of an NBA lockout combined with the Grizzlies' obstinate negotiating manner could cost them another assistant coach by the weekend.

Johnny Davis, the lead assistant coach under Lionel Hollins, reportedly has an offer to join the Toronto Raptors in a similar role once his Griz contract expires at midnight. The Griz are working to retain Davis but an agreement hinges on the length of a deal, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Davis, along with Hollins' entire staff, worked last season on a one-year deal without a raise from the previous season. Davis has been paid the going rate for lead assistants given his pedigree as a two-time former NBA head coach. But he will have an opportunity to receive a raise and more job security with Toronto, according to a source with knowledge of the Raptors' interest.

NBA.com first reported Toronto's interest in Davis.

Davis' departure would mean that Hollins will start next season without at least two members of a coaching staff that engineered the Grizzlies' most successful playoff run. Assistant coach Damon Stoudamire left last month -- soon after the Grizzlies' Western Conference semifinals appearance -- to join Josh Pastner's University of Memphis men's basketball staff.

Stoudamire is credited with impacting player development and influencing Zach Randolph's improved professionalism.

Davis oversaw the Grizzlies' offense and served as a calming and constructive influence on the bench during games.

To date, the Griz have only offered the assistant coaches one-year contracts with nominal raises. No one from the coaching staff has accepted the team's offer.

Assistant coach Dave Joerger, who handles defensive responsibilities, interviewed with the Houston Rockets last month. Joerger is waiting for the Rockets to summons him for a second interview.

The assistant coaches' deals expire at 11:59 p.m. tonight. Hollins will enter the second year of a three-year deal he signed before the start of last season. Davis and Joerger are the only coaches Hollins kept after taking over for former Griz coach Marc Iavaroni in 2009.

Losing Davis would be a serious blow given his experience and basketball acumen. He worked as head coach of Philadelphia in 1996 and Orlando from 2003-05. Davis has served as an assistant coach with Atlanta, the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland, New Jersey, Orlando and Minnesota.

Davis was an assistant in Minnesota for nearly two seasons under Dwane Casey, who was recently hired as the head coach in Toronto.

Alex English is a hall of fame player and one the best shooters to ever play the game. He was responsible (I believe), in helping the players improve their shooting, free throws and jump shots. He will be a big loss and I don't know who can or will replace him on the coaching staff.